I’ve been a volunteer for as long as I can remember.
My volunteerism started when I was very young, stuffing envelopes and washing chairs at the art gallery in my hometown.
As I grew up, giving back to the community remained an important part of my life – I found a beautiful old museum where I volunteered regularly during the years I lived in Kansas. More recently, I started working with Autism Calgary to organize presentations that provide information and advice to adults on the spectrum.
Recently, the Autism Calgary office was broken into, and the large flat screen television we use to display our PowerPoint presentations was stolen. The non-profit organization is now looking to raise $6,000 to replace the television and to install a security system to prevent any future break-ins.
Providing an environment of safety and comfort is important at Autism Calgary, which offers some of the only local resources I’ve found for adults living with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Often, the individuals who are accessing these resources are struggling in some way, and Autism Calgary’s accommodating staff and valuable programs make it easy to feel comfortable and included.
This week’s presentation will be a little different – without the use of the television, we will have to set up around a projector to display our presentation to the group. But I’m glad we still have a place to meet, where we can learn more about ASD and how it impacts our lives, and also share our successes and our struggles with a group of people who understand some of the more unique issues we face. The loss of a television doesn’t change that.
It’s the people who make Autism Calgary the fantastic resource that it is – and not just the paid staff. While I’ve only ever participated in just one of the wide variety of programs offered by the organization, the people I’ve met at my group meetings have become almost a second family to me.
In fact, I spent a large part of my Christmas day with two of my friends from the group.
So even though the television is relatively unimportant when it comes to the important services Autism Calgary provides, it’s a tough loss for an organization that exists only because of the generosity of its members and the community it serves.
Stealing from any business is obviously a terrible thing to do, but stealing from a non-profit seems even worse.
Donations can be made at autismcalgary.com/donate
